Dutch turbine engineer tried to turn wind into crypto, ends up generating community service

A Dutch wind farm operator learned the hard way that its turbines weren't just spinning to generate electricity – they were also powering someone else's crypto wallet. A court in Assen has sentenced an unnamed man – born in 1979, and working at the time as a technical manager for Nordex's wind turbine parks – to 120 hours of …

[JPCavendish]

Wow; a logical and intelligent approach by the judiciary, and a common sense outcome. Whodathunkit.

[Anonymous Coward]

Did he generate much profit, or blow the lot?

[IceC0ld]

not sure, but Windmills

BIG Fan :o)

[DS999]

They should also require him

To pay back every penny he earned from the cryptomining, at the price he sold it at if he sold it, and surrender any he still holds.

[Snake]

Re: They should also require him

Opportunity to make free money + possibility of using illicit methods to do so = who knew?? I'm surprised, I tell you, surprised! [/s]

[DoaJC_Blogger]

He probably got greedy and careless. If he had been smart he could've made it almost impossible to find

[Bebu sa Ware]

When the electricity cannot be used

In AU during the last year 10% of wind and 7% of solar output suffered curtailment. This is only likely worsen even with domestic batteries.

The unneeded and unusable output could be redirected to a bitcoin mining rig. Profits to the staff drinking social club. :)

[W.S.Gosset]

Re: When the electricity cannot be used

Yeah, that was my first thought.

If he'd factored in some sort of on/off "switch" triggered by (and assuming the rigs were running off) local surplus supply, they wouldn't have been able to show any Injury.

[66663333]

I believe you if you say there's a technical reason why Bitcoin mining uses so much electricity, but it's still a bad thing it uses as much electricity as some countries to run a monetary system.